The investigator will examine the impact of life events and social support on the course of bipolar disorder. Life events and social support have been shown to have substantial impact on the course of other psychiatric disorders. Although theoretical and clinical articles have suggested that life events and social support will contribute to bipolar disorder, these domains have received only limited empirical attention. Much of the research on life events within this disorder has had methodological limitations, and no research has examined the ability of social support to buffer life events. The investigator will examine the effects of life events and social support using a naturalistic, prospective design. One-hundred and seventy-five Bipolar I patients will be recruited during an index episode. Symptom patterns and treatment will be assessed once a month for 2 years. Life events and social support will be assessed using comprehensive interview-based measures at 2-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month followups. Primary analyses will examine the impact of life events and social support on time to recovery and relapse. A secondary goal of the study will be to increase knowledge of social support within bipolar disorder. The current investigation will examine the influence of previous episodes, degree of recovery, and self-esteem on social support. A long-term goal of the study will be to develop a bi- directional model of the social support-illness relationship. Overall, the current investigation is expected to yield information about the role of life events and social support on recovery and relapse in bipolar disorder.